A College Kid’s Guide to Cambridge/Harvard Square

Starting college at Harvard can feel more than a little overwhelming. The campus itself is a tourist attraction, with its red bricks, pretty bell towers, and iconic vignettes. It’s easy to feel a bit out of place when you’re going to class in buildings you know from movies like Good Will Hunting and The Social Network. But, with some time, Harvard really starts to feel like home - and a big part of that is the unique, quirky city of Cambridge. 

Anyone at Harvard will tell you it can feel a lot like a bubble—despite the fact that Cambridge itself is a vibrant city and Boston is only 10 minutes away on the T (Boston subway), students tend to stay within the couple mile radius of Harvard Square. Because most social life happens on campus and everyone has full meal plans, it’s easy to stay. That being said, some of my favorite memories during college so far have been on excursions to Boston, and anyone considering going to school in the Cambridge/Boston area should know about all both cities have to offer.

Here are some of my favorite spots that have made college feel like home:

Where to Eat: Every on-campus student at Harvard (and that’s 96% of the entire school) is enrolled in a full meal plan, so naturally the first stop when it comes to food are the dhalls. Each House (dorm) has its own dhall with its own character (mine has yellow walls and giant chandeliers) - plus the freshmen have one giant dhall for the entire class. The food is actually really good, especially in the houses, so for us college kids on a budget, it’s usually the best option. Harvard also has a bunch of cute cafes around campus that are great for coffee, pastries, and other grab-and-go items. That being said, one of the first things I learned after arriving at Harvard is that the Square has tons of food places within walking distance—so it’s hard to eat in the dhall all the time…

Casual Spots: My (and everyone’s) all-time favorite Square restaurant is Tatte, an Israeli Boston chain that has incredible pastries, breads, coffee, breakfasts, lunch, and even dinner options. Their shakshuka is out of this world - plus it’s a super cozy spot to catch up on reading before your next class. My other favorite casual lunch places are Sweetgreen (of course), Black Sheep Bagel, the cutest bagel place with tons of unique options—my favorite is the avocado toast bagel, Pokeworks, the sweetgreen of poke bowls, and Clover, an experimental vegetarian place with a super convenient location in the science center, where tons of big lectures are held. For an even quicker grab-and-go, I love Wholesome Fresh, a little grocery market with tons of prepared foods and most importantly, a smoothie bar. Another Square favorite is Darwin’s, which has two locations within walking distance, and is my morning-after-a-late-night go-to. I am obsessed with the Rindge sandwich, and they also have yummy soups and coffee. For other brunch mornings, Zinneken’s has amazing waffles and Zoe’s is your classic diner. For a casual dinner, I absolutely LOVE Spicies. I love pad thai so much, and theirs is fantastic - plus they always have a student discount. Otto, a nicer pizza place, is also wonderful. Finally, during my sophomore year, a friend and I discovered what I think is one of the Square’s best-kept secrets: the Maharaja all-you-can-eat Indian lunch buffet. Through snackpass, for $10, you can literally eat all the Indian food you want. It’s pretty incredible.

Late Night: Let’s say it’s 1AM, you and your friends just left a party, you’re not ready to go home yet, and you’re starving - you have some options. The classic Harvard late-night snack is burritos - there are two burrito places basically across the street from each other, both open until 2am-ish. Felipe’s is the better burrito place - the vibe is really vibrant and fun, and they even have a rooftop bar, not to mention their superior burritos. El Jefe’s is the not-as-good burrito place, but still fun. There is a campus-wide debate about which one of these places is superior, and now you know where I stand. There’s also, of course, Pinnochio’s, a tiny pizza place that has been around for fifty years. It’s a Harvard institution. A newer pizza option is &pizza (the sweetgreen of pizza), which I LOVE because you can create a pizza with any sauces and toppings you want, and they even have vegan options. If you’re not feeling burritos or pizza, but 2AM egg drop soup and veggie lo mein sound delicious, Hong Kong is the place for you. It’s another Harvard institution, famous for its scorpion bowls. 

Coffee: The opposite of late-night is early morning coffee, and the Square definitely has you covered there. If you don’t feel like waiting in line at Tatte or Darwin’s, but want that same artisanal feel, head to Blue Bottle Coffee, my personal favorite. It’s across the street from where I live, has the most delicious coffee, and is a really cozy spot to do work. There’s also Cafe Pamploma if you’re looking for a more lowkey, family-owned vibe (it’s the only non-chain coffee place left)! A new addition to the Square is Bluestone Lane, an Australian chain with great coffee and avocado toast-esque options. If you’re hurrying to class, Pavement Coffee in the student center is a great option. They also have bagels and other sandwiches. And if you’re not looking for anything new, the Square has Starbucks and Peet’s as well.

Dessert: One of my first Harvard food obsessions was Pressed Juicery, which I know is not unique to Cambridge, but getting pressed freeze (their vegan soft serve) with new friends was something I did at least three times during my first week in Cambridge. While Pressed is newer, the classic ice cream go-to is J.P. Licks, which has seriously delicious ice cream (and the cheapest coffee in the square!), including vegan options. You can’t go wrong. If you’re looking for frozen yogurt, Berryline will definitely satisfy your cravings. We also have Lizzy’s, which has super delicious ice cream with a homemade vibe. If you’re looking for fancy and italian, then Amorino is the place for you. And, as if we didn’t have enough ice cream places, Milk Bar opened a little over a year ago to the delight of many—the line was around the block for the first week it was open. We also of course have an Insomnia, my favorite late-night treat.

When Your Parents Are In Town: Since I try to stick to a budget normally, I really try to take advantage of the times my parents visit by planning fantastic restaurants for us to go to. My friend’s dad took a group of us out to Cafe Sushi one time, and we had a wonderful, delicious meal. The sushi has really unique flavors like salmon with balsamic glaze and yellowtail with truffle oil. The last time my parents visited, we had the best time at Alden & Harlow, which I think is my favorite Square restaurant. The menu is really eclectic - I absolutely love the charred broccoli, kale salad, and whatever pasta they happen to have (the menu rotates often). I had my birthday dinner last year at Russell House Tavern, an always-busy, super delicious, convenient spot. Grafton Street is another classic American restaurant that’s convenient and yummy. When all of our parents were in town to move us in, my roommates and I did a dinner at Benedetto, a fancy Italian place in the Charles Hotel - it really is pricey so don’t recommend it if you’re paying for yourself, but if you ever get the chance...GO! Henrietta’s Table is also in the Charles and is fantastic for breakfast and lunch. One of the first birthday dinners I went to in Cambridge was at Toscano, a fan-favorite nicer Italian restaurant. And I can’t forget Giulia, a small, incredible Italian restaurant that is really hard to get into, so make reservations as far in advance as you can. 

Where to Shop: Honestly, if I really wanted to go shopping, I would definitely go into Boston to Newbury Street, in my favorite Boston neighborhood of Back Bay. Newbury Street has tons of options like Urban Outfitters, Reformation, Lululemon, Forever 21, plus more boutique-y shops...it’s basically a mall on a street. But, if you want to stay in the bubble, a friend and I recently stopped into Zinnia and discovered they have literally hundreds of earrings, bracelets, and necklaces on sale for as little as $3. I’m not kidding. If you’re looking for Harvard apparel, the Coop is the go-to - they have seemingly endless merch options from t-shirts to sweatpants to winter hats. The Harvard Shop is another great stop before the Harvard-Yale game in November. If you’re anything like me (English major :)), you’ll love Harvard Book Store, which has bookshelves up to the ceiling with seemingly endless choices and a really friendly staff. Finally, if you want to shop for clothing or a gift for a friend, the Square is home to a giant Anthropologie.

Things to Do: This isn’t exactly an activity, but anyone who knows me knows I am obsessed with the Charles River. Along the river is the perfect place to go for a run, walk with friends, or have a picnic when the weather’s nice. It is seriously my favorite place to be in the Square. If you like art, check out Harvard Art Museums, a free-for-students, really nice museum with a constantly rotating collection. If you’re tired of working out at Harvard’s gyms, head to CorePower Yoga for intense heated yoga sessions or Handlebar for a fun spin session. If you’re looking for a quick day trip, head to Central Square, where I’ve actually been living this semester. Central Square is only one T stop away from Harvard, or a fifteen minute walk, right between Harvard and MIT. If you’re into thrifting, check out Boomerang, or Cheapo Records if you’re looking for vintage records. You’ll also have to try Naco Taco for a really fun margarita-filled night (or afternoon), The Mad Monkfish for the biggest Asian fusion menu I’ve ever seen, and New City Microcreamery for awesome ice cream with rotating flavors (and vegan options)! 

Honestly, I started this article thinking I was going to write about Cambridge and Boston, but this is getting pretty long, and I’ve only really covered Harvard Square. That just goes to show you how much there is to do (mostly to eat) steps away from Harvard’s campus. I should add, though, it can be great to get out of the bubble for a bit and head into Boston—from late nights at Tiki Rock downtown or TITS in Allston to sushi and drinks at Crudo in the North End to brunch at Sonsie in Back Bay, there are endless places to explore. I’ve been here for almost three years, and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface!